PSB Alpha T20 vs PSB Alpha C10 Comparison

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PSB Alpha T20

Passive Floor-standing | 36-21k Hz

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PSB Alpha C10

Passive Center Channel | 55-21k Hz

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PSB Alpha T20

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PSB Alpha C10

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PSB Alpha T20

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PSB Alpha C10

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PSB Alpha T20 vs PSB Alpha C10 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by PSB. PSB Alpha T20 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Alpha C10 is a Center Channel speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of PSB Alpha T20 and PSB Alpha C10 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	PSB Alpha T20	PSB Alpha C10
Design	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	0.75" Dome	3/4" dome with front waveguide
Woofer	2 x 5.25" Polypropylene	2 x 5.25" textured polypropylene
Frequency response	36-21k Hz	55-21k Hz
Sensitivity	90 dB	90 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Power range	15-120 watts	15-120 watts
Weight	11.89kg / 26.2lbs	7.73kg / 17lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	34-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 9-13/16" 869.0 x 212.0 x 250.0mm	6-3/4" x 17-3/4" x 10" 172.0 x 451.0 x 254.0mm

Alpha T20 and Alpha C10 are members of PSB's Alpha series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

PSB Alpha Series History

Model	Body	Frequency	Sensitivity	Impedance	Woofer
PSB P3	Bookshelf	57-21k Hz	87 dB	8Ω	1 x 4.5"
PSB Alpha T20	Floor-standing	36-21k Hz	90 dB	8Ω	2 x 5.25"
PSB P5	Bookshelf	55-21k Hz	89 dB	8Ω	1 x 5.25"
PSB Alpha C10	Center Channel	55-21k Hz	90 dB	8Ω	2 x 5.25"

What size room are the PSB Alpha T20 and PSB Alpha C10 speakers good for?

The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:

Listening Environment*	PSB Alpha T20	PSB Alpha C10
Near-field	Bad	Poor
Small Room	Poor	Average
Mid-size Room	Good	Good
Large Room	Good	Average
Very Large Room	Poor	Poor

(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m², Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m², Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m², Very Large: > 400 sq. ft / 36 m². Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening position, speaker locations, etc.)

The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.

**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Drivers

Both Alpha T20 and Alpha C10 are 2-way speakers.

PSB Alpha T20

PSB Alpha C10

TweeterWoofer

Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.

Driver	PSB Alpha T20	PSB Alpha C10
Driver Setup	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	0.75-inch	3/4-inch
Midrange	-	-
Woofer	2 x 5.25-inch	2 x 5.25-inch

Alpha T20 features a 0.75" anodized aluminum with front waveguide Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the Alpha C10 features a 3/4" anodized aluminum dome with front waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" textured polypropylene Woofer.

Frequency Response

Alpha T20 has a frequency range of 36-21k Hz whereas Alpha C10 has a frequency range of 55-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Alpha T20 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Alpha C10's min frequency of 55Hz.

The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.

Low Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

Alpha T20

Alpha C10

Min

Average

Median

Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.

Impedance and Sensitivity

Alpha T20 and Alpha C10 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 90 dB.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

Alpha T20

Alpha C10

Min

Average

Median

Power Range

Power range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.

Alpha T20 and Alpha C10 have the same power range of 15-120 watts.

Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays on a real amplifier.

Which plays louder on your amplifier?

Starting with a popular amplifier — change it to the one you own, or any you are considering, and watch both numbers move.

Amplifier — change this

Distance

Playing as

PSB Alpha T20

PSB Alpha C10

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

Alpha T20 features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Alpha C10 has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

PSB Alpha T20's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

PSB Alpha C10's 5-Way post terminals

Physical Specs

The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare PSB Alpha T20's and PSB Alpha C10's external dimensions. PSB Alpha T20 has external dimensions of 869.0 x 212.0 x 250.0mm (34-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 9-13/16inch) whereas PSB Alpha C10 has external dimensions of 172.0 x 451.0 x 254.0mm (6-3/4 x 17-3/4 x 10inch).

PSB Alpha T20 is 239mm narrower and 4mm less deeper than PSB Alpha C10 but it is also 697mm taller.

Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited. The base surface area of the PSB Alpha T20 is approximately 530.0cm² / 82.2inch² and base area of the PSB Alpha C10 is approximately 1145.5cm² / 177.6inch². The Alpha T20 requires 54% less surface area than the Alpha C10 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.

What's in the Box of PSB Alpha T20?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Alpha T20:

2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
2 Grilles
8 Rubber feet
8 Spike feet
8 Hex-nuts
Quick Start Guide
Warranty Card

What's in the Box of PSB Alpha C10?

Here are the items that come with the Alpha C10:

Center-channel loudspeaker
Grille
4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
Quick Start Guide
Warranty Card

Reasons to choose PSB Alpha T20 over PSB Alpha C10

Low Frequency Response	36 Hz vs 55 Hz	Generates deeper bass
Base Surface Area	530cm² vs 1145cm²	Takes less floor space

Reasons to choose PSB Alpha C10 over PSB Alpha T20

Height	172mm vs 869mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Price per pair*	449USD vs 799USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

PSB Alpha T20 vs PSB Alpha C10 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	PSB Alpha T20	PSB Alpha C10
Brand	PSB	PSB
Speaker Type	Floor-standing speaker	Center channel speaker
Power Range	15-120 watts	15-120 watts
Sensitivity	90 dB	90 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Frequency Response	36-21k Hz	55-21k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	2	2
Woofer Size	5.25"	5.25"
Woofer Composition	Polypropylene	textured polypropylene
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	rubber
Tweeter Size	0.75"	3/4"
Tweeter Type	Dome	dome with front waveguide
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	No
Crossover Frequency	2500Hz	n/a
Firing Direction	rear	n/a
Physical Specs
Height	869.0mm (34.2")	172.0mm (6.8")
Width	212.0mm (8.3")	451.0mm (17.8")
Depth	250.0mm (9.8")	254.0mm (10")
Weight	11.89kg (26.2lbs)	7.73kg (17lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Bass Reflex
Finish	MDF, Wood-grain vinyl	n/a
Available Colors	Black	Walnut
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	Yes	n/a
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	5 Years
Labor Warranty	5 Years	5 Years

Verdict

Siblings in PSB's Alpha series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.

Area	Better	Why
Bass	A	PSB Alpha T20 digs deeper - 36Hz against 55Hz.
Amplifier needs	evenly matched	Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power.
Headroom	evenly matched	Similar power handling (120W vs 120W).
Size	depends	PSB Alpha C10 is easier to place; PSB Alpha T20 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
Type	depends	A Passive Floor-standing against a Passive Center Channel - a different job rather than a better one.
Expandability	A	PSB Alpha T20: bi-amping.
Price	B	PSB Alpha C10 is cheaper - $449 against $799, about 44% less; arguably a different class.

A PSB Alpha T20 B PSB Alpha C10
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.

Which should you choose?

The usual trade-off: PSB Alpha T20 measures better, PSB Alpha C10 costs about 44% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 55Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper PSB Alpha C10 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate PSB Alpha T20 the better fit for a large room, and PSB Alpha C10 for a small room.

And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.